We're all going on a summer holiday!

This is just a quick warning post to say that I will be going on holiday tomorrow so my blogging will be even less frequent than it has been lately! I have prepared some posts to go up whenever I find an internet cafe, and I will try and upload pictures to share with you all while I am away, but just bear with me. I am hardly going to be in a country where electricity and internet run free and wild.

I am going to be spending 3 weeks in Indonesia with my parents - I am super excited because I love Indonesia and Asia in general, and can't wait to see the culture, have some authentic food and of course finally get some true summertime!

Thankyou anyone and everyone who reads my posts/follows me, I do love you all, and I will be back blogging regularly in about 3 weeks time.. For now, I hope you have an amazing summer and I will check in with you all when I can!

hehehe, just a little gif because I love you

Love and kisses, Tara xox

My week in instagram.

I have lost track of which number instagram post this is, but it is going to be the last one for a while since I go on holiday on tuesday and phones have been banned! Apparently charging them up is too much of a nuisance, and the roaming costs would be obscene. Anyway, here is my week in instagram snaps!

This went too fast to be photographed | I have a LOT of clothes, okay? | Flattering shot of my baby | On the way in to town to live it up (post coming soon) | Gorgeous flowers | The love of my life | Off out for a run | My little corner of the world is pretty beautiful honestly | Starting to pack for holiday

I am still in love with instagram and will probably get withdrawal symptoms on holiday.. shameful I know, but I am a complete technology addict!

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Someone call Shopaholic's Anonymous.

Last weekend I went shopping - a dangerous, foolish activity for me I know, but it was necessary. My summer holiday is coming up and I needed to supplement my hot weather wardrobe with mix-and-match-able pieces that will mean I can keep creating new outfits while I am away, while remaining appropriate for both tropical heat and more conservative cultures. For the shopping trip I eschewed sensibility and ignored the wind/threatening clouds to wear this..

Shirt - New Look; Shorts & Tights - Primark; Creepers - Amazon; Clutch - Cos (secondhand in Paris); Cuff - H&M; Earrings, Ring & Bracelets - Topshop.

I love a good pair of high waisted shorts because they are just so flattering, and this pastel stripe pair is really cute. I paired them wiith a sheer white shirt tucked in to emphasize the waistline, and buttoned all the way up in that girl-meets-boy way that looks very cute. I then threw my creepers into the mix because they are gorgeous and a little bit edgy, as is the new clutch. Lashings of jewellery and a bright lip completed the ensemble.

Primark

 

It's fair to say I got over-excited in Primark - what a haul. The cross tee and ballet pumps aren't even for my trip! 

New Look

The sales in New Look were bursting with gorgeous prints and colours - I just couldn't resist! And that parka is the perfect lightweight cover up, an alternative to my beloved blazers.

River Island

I have had my eye on these pieces for a while, but never quite had the cash to buy them. When they appeared in the sale however, I snapped them right up. I adore the paisley print on the dress and the mermaid-esque shell pattern on the skirt.

Topshop

 This neon dress is completely stunning, bright and beautiful, and will look gorgeous with a holiday tan.

Hair Bow - River Island; Black Rose Headband - Topshop; Ring & Gold Headband - Primark.

On holiday my hair will have to be up most of the time, so I invested in some cute accessories to keep it fresh!

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Paris haul!

I didn't go too insane in Paris, meaning I didn't buy too much... but here is the round-up of all my purchases that will forever remind me of a beautiful trip. Sorry it is so so late - I really have to catch up!

Essie nail polish in Sugar Daddy & Rouge Baiser nail polish in Pastel Jaune.

I am a complete sucker for nail polishes, and these sugar sweet shades were too cute to resist.

Hand painted Vogue cover art.

I bought this by the Seine near the Notre Dame. It was perfect for me - classy, elegant, Parisian, and of course featuring Vogue!

Assorted postcards.

I picked these up all over the city on impulse, and I plan to stick them all around my room to remind me of the trip. My favourites are the show posters and the Moulin Rouge.

Perfume spritzers - Belle du Jour.

I adore anything retro glamour and was captivated by the vintage ones in the window of this Montmartre boutique. Unfortunately my budget didn't stretch that far but these reproductions still look gorgeous.

Metallic dress - Isabel Marant (second-hand).

The likelihood of me ever affording anything by Isabel Marant was absolutely minute, until I stumbled upon this in a second-hand/vintage store in the backstreets of Saint Germain. It's gorgeous, sparkling and glamorous and I love it.

Clutch bag - Cos (second-hand).

I also unearthed this in the second hand shop, and fell for the unique print and on-trend fold-over style.

Vintage bracelet.

That second hand shop really was full of treasures, and this delicately beautiful silver bracelet is possibly my favourite.

 Bralet - Brandy Melville, Home Made.

The back of this cute bralet is my favourite part, love the detail.

And that is the end of my Paris haul - see? Restrained. Although if we're honest most of my money did go on pastries and BNs... I am so so pleased with all of my purchases though, and they will be permanent reminders of a beautiful trip.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Paris Day Four!

Okay sorry about the massive gap in my Paris posting, my grandparents were down so I couldn't blog! 

The last day of a trip is always a bit sad - packing up your things, saying goodbye to your holiday and going home to reality.. It is especially weird on a trip that is this short, it felt like we had barely arrived and then we were leaving again! On the final day after packing and checking out we left our bags in the hotel and went straight to the Eiffel Tower on the metro. I can't believe we left it to the last day to see the most famous thing in Paris. And it was so impressive, even bigger than I imagined and of course beautifully situated. It was also packed with tourists.. After that we got lunch (pasta - finally something veggie!) and then took a walk along the Seine, before ending the day with gorgeous crepes. Feeling quite full we wandered along back to the hotel and went to the airport, squeezing in a cheeky glass of vin blanc before the flight home. It was slightly disappointing to be back in England...

Here was my outfit of day four..

Top, Bag, Shoes & Bracelets - Topshop; Skirt & Earrings - River Island.

This outfit felt a little more casual, and less put-together than the others of the trip. I am not sure why.. But I still like it because again it sticks to light, clean, girlie colours for a summery feel, and you may have noticed my preference for pink. I also love the lace detail on my new top, which takes the otherwise simple outfit away from block colours and adds interest. I opted for my hair up, which is unusual, but I just went for a simple bun and left it - messy is better in my opinion.

And the final snaps of my little trip..

Tour Eiffel!

I have too many photos of this tower.

Trying to be artistic.

Claire & Alison being tourists.

Me being awkward with Alison.

Claire at lunch.

Chilling in the park.

Claire & I.

Another of my many Parisian exspressos.

Nutella crepes. Nom.

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Paris Day Three!

Waking up in Paris just doesn't get old. Even if it is in a slightly dodge area. After an even more croissant-heavy breakfast we embarked upon a shopping morning, only to be halted by a quick downpour. So we had a coffee break (or hot chocolate in my case) and then hit the shops. In the morning we wandered around Montmartre, discovering cute little shops, then we headed into central Paris. We had lunch in the Saint Germain area, then chose to split up according to what we wanted to do.. In the end we all went our separate ways - Alison to sketch in the park by the Louvre, Claire to see inside Notre Dame, and myself to carry on with some hardcore shopping. While I wandered surrounded by designer labels I had no hope of affording I was having the time of my life, and it got even better when I found a second-hand/vintage shop down a backstreet! After shopping, I carried out my little Amelie fantasy and checked out the Canal de Saint Martin and the Cafe des Deux Moulins. Then we had a picnic dinner by the Sacre Coeur before cocktails.. A very good third day.

Here was my outfit of day three..

Dress, Bag, Shoes & Cross Bracelets - Topshop; Floral Headband - New Look; Wishbone Bracelet - Accessorize; Ring - H&M.

I absolutely adore this Topshop lace dress - not only is it a celeb favourite, but it looks effortlessly pretty and summery. Before Paris I had only worn it layered up with tights and blazers, but while away in warmer weather I finally got to wear it by itself. In my typical fashion I didn't leave it all simple though as I added a ladylike bag, some glittering flats and a Lana Del Rey style floral headband. I would swear blind that all day in Paris the only person I saw with a headband was my reflection.. I am definitely too British to blend in!

Here are some more snaps of my daily activities.. quite food-based this time.

Our emergency cuppas.

Casual Montmartre graffiti.

Paris is so damn photogenic.

Canal de Saint Martin

Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain anyone?

Some top quality vin rouge.

Macarooooons!

Coming up next is the final day, and then my shopping haul!

Love and kisses, Tara xox

Paris Day Two!

Waking up in Paris was a pretty beautiful feeling, and that sensation was only improved by croissants with nutella and some good coffee! Day Two was our cultural day, so we went to the Sacre Coeur, then the Notre Dame (followed by a picnic in a nearby park) and then the Louvre, where we found a funfair and went on a chairswing. For dinner we found possibly the only vegetarian food (two of us are veggie!) and had a good old curry, before continuing the culture with l'Arc de Triomphe, a stroll down the Champs Elysee and crossing the Seine. I'm not going to lie, we did an awful lot of walking!

The weather on the second day was gorgeous, so I really dressed for the sunny weather!

Skirt - River Island; Bralet, Bag, Shoes & Ring - Topshop; Sunglasses - ASOS; Earrings - New Look; Bracelets - Pandora, Lola Rose & Accessorize.

Like a true British tourist, as soon as I hit vaguely sunnier climes I start to wear as few clothes as possible. I have wanted to put these two pieces together for quite a while, but was waiting for the right opportunity.. Paris was perfect. I love how the silhouette becomes like a classic retro prom dress (aka uber flattering) while the prints complement each other well. This daytime look was surprisingly comfortable, especially thanks to the flat shoes and gorgeous cat-eye sunglasses to keep out the sun's glare, even if that bralet did not allow a lot of room for pastries.

And here are some of our photos from Day Two...

It's not all serious here..

Do you like my shades?

One of my fave pics of the whole trip!

The Sacre Coeur from below.

Getting touristy.

I would quite like to live here.

Pont Saint Michel.

Writing postcards apres picnic.

Myself & Claire outside Notre Dame.

These made up a large proportion of my Paris diet.. BNs!

Oh my beloved BNs.

Here we are now, entertain us..

Myself and Claire at dinner. (yes, I changed shirts)

The poppadoms disappeared too fast to photograph!

My very yummy rose lassi - so French, I know.

Haagen Dazs for dessert.. nom nom nom.

Imploding with joy at the LV store.

On the statue of Charles de Gaulle.

City lights on the Seine.

Okay wow, that was quite picture heavy.. The trip continues in the next post with Day Three!

Love and kisses, Tara xox